The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa Bk. 3 Pt. 2 eBook

“Yudhishthira said, ’O divine one, why
wast thou cursed by the high-souled Agastya?
O god, I am curious to hear about the occasion of
that imprecation. I wonder that at that very moment,
thou together with thy forces and attendants wast
not consumed by the ire of that intelligent one.’

“Thereupon the lord of treasures said, ’At
Kusasthali, O king, once there was held a conclave
of the gods. And surrounded by grimvisaged Yakshas,
numbering three hundred maha-padmas, carrying various
weapons, I was going to that place. And on the
way, I saw that foremost of sages, Agastya, engaged
in the practice of severe austerities on the bank of
the Yamuna, abounding in various birds and graced with
blossoming trees. And, O king, immediately on
seeing that mass of energy, flaming and brilliant
as fire, seated with upraised arms, facing the sun,
my friend, the graceful lord of the Rakshasas, Maniman,
from stupidity, foolishness, hauteur and ignorance
discharged his excrement on the crown of that Maharshi.
Thereupon, as if burning all the cardinal points by
his wrath, he said unto me, “Since, O lord of
treasures, in thy very presence, disregarding me,
this thy friend hath thus affronted me, he, together
with thy forces, shall meet with destruction at the
hands of a mortal. And, O wicked-minded one,
thou also, being distressed on account of thy fallen
soldiers, shalt be freed from thy sin, on beholding
that mortal. But if they follow thy behests,
their (the soldier’s) powerful sons shall not
incur by this dreadful curse. This curse I received
formerly from that foremost of Rishis. Now, O
mighty king, have I been delivered by thy brother
Bhima."’”

SECTION CLXI

“The lord of treasures said, ’O Yudhishthira,
patience, ability, (appropriate) time and place and
prowess—­these five lead to success in human
affairs. O Bharata, in the Krita Yuga, men were
patient and able in their respective occupations and
they knew how to display prowess. And, O foremost
of the Kshatriyas, a Kshatriya that is endued with
patience and understandeth the propriety regarding
place and time and is versed in all mortal regulations,
can alone govern the world for a long time,—­nay,
in all transactions. He that behaveth thus, acquireth,
O hero, fame in this world and excellent state in
the next. And by having displayed his prowess
at the proper place and time, Sakra with the Vasus
hath obtained the dominion of heaven. He that
from anger cannot see his fall and he that being naturally
wicked and evilminded followeth evil and he that knoweth
not the propriety relative to acts, meet with destruction
both in this world and the next. The exertions
of that stupid person become fruitless, who is not
conversant with the expediency regarding time and
acts, and he meeteth with destruction both in this
world and the next. And the object of that wicked
and deceitful persons is vicious, who, aiming at mastery